Latest Zune HD rumors: multitouch browser and Xbox games

More details about the Zune HD are leaking from various sources, but Microsoft …

The general consensus around the blogosphere is that rumored Zune HD will be coming this fall, and it will be a more "international" release, though an official list of countries is not yet available. The leaked picture above (which looks legitimate, despite the atypical inclusion of the word "Zune" on the front) is courtesy of WMPoweruser, which brings us the following supposed details about the device.

16 and 32 GB versions

A capacitive, multitouch OLED screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio and TV out, possibly with an HDMI port on the side

HD radio and HD media playback; HD content will be available from the updated Zune Marketplace

Support for wireless sync and a browser that supports multitouch

Support for 3D Xbox games

That's an impressive list of specs, but I want to remind you that they're all still neatly placed in the rumor box. In my opinion, the last point of the post is the most interesting, because the Zune HD could end up being something of an Xbox Portable if full XNA support was included. Furthermore, Microsoft is a featured partner of Nvidia's Tegra, a graphics chip aimed at mobile devices (phones and portable media players) that supports HD video, which has led blogs like LiveSide to suggest that the next Zunes will feature it. Tegra definitely looks like it could support 3D games, in some form at least. On that note, Neowin agrees that Tegra will be powering the Zune HD, but also notes that there will be 4GB, 8GB, and 120GB versions as well.

In another piece of the puzzle, Adweek has a story in which it says Microsoft is having advertising companies McCann, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, and JWT battle for the rights to a campaign for "Pink," which is the codename for Zune functionality for Window Mobile devices. The Zune HD may not have any phone capabilities, but it's unlikely to be the only device Microsoft pushes out this fall.

At this rate, we'll have a ton of more rumors and leaks on the future of the Zune platform. I wouldn't be surprised if we will soon have Microsoft giving us the official details of at least one part of what it's planning for its portable media player.